To wonder why people choose to live in London?

[Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread]

I always wonder. And reading a recent thread prompted me to ask the question. Why do people do it by choice? People complain about the house prices (rightly), ulez, nursery fees, cost of everything being more expensive, commutes, tubes etc.

if you’re not absolutely tied to London for work or health or I guess family. Why do you choose to live there when there are so many cheaper easier lifestyle options in the country?

As the cliche goes….. first post nailed.

i was born to live in London - though I didn’t know it!! - and I am so, so grateful that it happened, thanks to my husband dragging me here. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.

Why? Where to start… It’s architecturally beautiful. The parks and the Commons. The river. The sheer vibrancy and cultural diversity. The arts, the theatre, opera, ballet. The people - I have so many friends, and despite similar interests and outlook, they’re all different, due to upbringing, religion or where they originate from. Oh, and public transport, let’s not forget that as it’s very important - it’s the oil that keeps the city’s wheels turning.

I simply couldn’t imagine living a similarly rich life anywhere else.

Living is London is super easy, much easier than most other places. And many things there are free.

I came here to University back in the 1980's, got a job here, met my London born and bred husband, bought a house, made friends, got involved in local things.... hospitals close by, don't need to drive (medical condition means I might have to give up at some point) why would I live anywhere else?
Rest of the family are in a market town that comes out as a nice place to live and I have thought about moving at some point, but you have to drive really and it all seems so small and limited now.

helps ensure they’re not growing up to be narrow minded bigots

So everyone who doesn't go to Grange Hill is a narrow-minded bigot then? How open-minded of you 🙄

Because it's one of the most exciting cities in the world? Because it has so many opportunities? Not just for jobs, but for culture, sport, heritage etc.
I enjoy living in a (different) city, but if I'd had the funds I would have definitely moved to London.

Bit of a silly question because lots of people were born and grew up there, just like any other part of the country.

Biggest mistake we ever made was moving away into a village. Why??? An opportunity came up a few years ago but unfortunately wild horses wouldn’t drag dh back to London. He loves village life. I dream of selling up and moving back.

No one is stupid enough not to realise they could live a cheaper life in other places. It’s just that London either is still the best option for them despite the things they complain about, or they can’t move. I live in the North now but lived in London before. If you like city lifestyles it’s a great place to live. Obviously any city will have events, nightlife, theatre, good public transport, cultural activities and attractions. But London has more of them and some people will think they have better ones. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world for a reason.

Everyone complains about certain things about where they live. It doesn’t mean they don’t think other benefits outweigh those cons.

I grew up here and my family are here because my parents jobs were here. I stay for my family and many friends and the great schools and the cultural opportunities for my son, we have endless fun on our days out to theatre, museums, zoos, parks, there are always great things on. Being internationally minded is an important value for me.

Because some areas of it are beautiful, and there's a lot of interesting things going on. I would never move anywhere from London - unless it's to another capital city.

I have family who experienced this. Upped and moved to a small quiet village. One spouse loved it, the other hated it. Change in circumstances meant they eventually shifted elsewhere, somewhere which worked for both luckily.

If you're the one who hates the area you live in it can quickly and negatively impact your outlook on life, everyday.

Because you have an amazing city ob your doorstep. Vast majority will need to be there for work or have family there. I would love to move back but we have family elsewhere who do childcare

I think it's work for lots of people. London is where the decent jobs have been moved to after a few decades of closing regional offices and centralising in London.

My son never intended to work/live in London, but he's ended up there because of his profession. He started working in a regional office on the graduate scheme and thought (naively) he could stay there and work up through the firm. No! All the decent opportunities for promotion/upskilling were in their London office, so after a couple of years of treading water doing "back office" work in a regional office, realising he was going nowhere, he transferred to London and is now fast-tracking.

Literally all of his Uni flatmates are now living in London (from a Northern Uni). None expected/wanted to, but it's where the jobs are so they've had to move.

Living in London and living in a small quiet village aren’t the only alternatives.

Because for all her flaws, I bloody love her and I don’t want to go live cheaply in the country…?

Yes, as I mentioned above, they found somewhere else that worked for both.

We left London and now live in a (lovely) smaller city. You absolutely cannot compare the museums and parks in other parts of the country to those in London. It shows you’re a bit clueless.

Yes, our nice small city has stunning parks, but they aren’t Greenwich Park. We have a great little museum, but it’s not the same as having the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A, Postal Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Greenwich Maritime Museum…. Get real!

If you can afford to live comfortably in London, it’s a fantastic place to live. Lots of beautiful neighbourhoods. People visit Oxford street once a year then declare they could never live in London.

I was born here and my family live here. But I’ve got a friend who when she retires will move to Yorkshire as her boyfriend is from there and property is cheaper there. I would move to Kent coast but you have to drive everywhere at night.

But the BM is just one of many, many, museums in London that are easily accessible and free. I used it as an example to counter the suggestion that having access to any museum is the same. I probably go (with DC) to the BM 3 times a year, but we also go to the Natural History Museum, the V&A, the Young V&A, the Science Museum and various other smaller places as well as the incredible art galleries with extraordinary permanent collections. So we probably do a free cultural outing about once a fortnight. And sometimes it is just popping in for a hour, because we can access it another day rather than trying to cram it all in, in one day. That is simply not possible living elsewhere.

I lived there for 7 years and loved it. I’m now in the North East and I absolutely hate it here. It’s boring and grim with very little to do compared to London.

For the culture. We go to a theatre, concert, talk, museum, gallery or cinema most weeks,
One of my kids does a sport that has numerous centres in London and great coaching. She likes not being limited to just one centre.
It's great for teens. One is learning to drive but its definitely not essential. They all get around happily on public transport and regularly go and do stuff with their friends in the centre of town. Much of it is free or heavily discounted for young people.
For the schools. We have excellent primaries and comps very locally and one dc had access to a specialist sixth form that many of their classmates commuted long distances for.
For the diversity. I like living somewhere where not everyone looks like me and I like that for my kids.
For the work opportunities for all of us, but especially for the DC who are now at the age where they are looking for work.
Living here makes me feel alive. I know for others, it's the exact opposite, and I can understand that, but that's how I feel about living here.
When the DC have left home, I'd love to downsize and move further in.

There might be - but they don't come close to the London offerings.

Because it’s an amazing city with so much to offer!

Because we like it. Fine if you don’t. People are different.

2 years until I get free travel all around London … let’s hope they don’t change that!